Chapter 18 – Goodbye Little Moon

Nicora woke early to the sound of the pouring rain on the Jade roof of the palace stirring quietly in the bed she found the castle was strangely quiet. Slipping from under the warmth of her silken sheets the seven-year old moved to the large, picture window that covered one, full wall of her chambers. She pulled the curtains back gazing out, across the Jaden landscape at the pouring rain. It was rare for the Jade Kingdom to get rain, mostly in Jades the weather was sunny and bright. Suddenly a streak of lighting radiated across the sky followed by a loud bang that made the tiny child jump in fear. Quickly she dropped the large, velvet curtains and ran back to bed ducking under the covers as more loud cracks rumbled in the stormy sky. Once the sounds got further away, she peeked from under the covers, grabbed her silken gown and slippers of shimmering green and ducked back, under the blankets to dress. It took her no time to dress as she slipped once more from her bed her blond ringlets cascading down the back of her jade colored gown, her blue eyes darted about as she ran to her chamber door, pulled it open and headed for the grand dining room to great her parents who she ate breakfast with every morning.

Arriving at the grand dinning room she was surprised to see that the smiling faces of her mother and father were not present, further surprise came when she saw no breakfast had been put out. Frowning she moved towards the kitchen, no clanking of pots, no singing of the cook, come to think of it she saw no, other, living people, where was everyone she wondered? Perhaps mother and father had gone to the barn to tend their Pegasus who might be freaked by the storm. Yes that would be where mother and father were, as she headed for the Palace door and pulled on her yellow, rain jacket and red boots. She pulled her hood up thinking her own Pegasus must also be frightened as she struggled with the large, palace door. Finally it opened and she walked out into the pouring rain, she was so scared, she’d never seen Jades so dark and rainy as she collected her courage and made a run for the barn.

Nicora however only got about half way to the barn when a streak of chain lighting lit up the night sky and struck the ground a few paces before her, the jolt of lightening sent Nicora backwards as she fell upon the muddy ground. Crying in fear, covered in mud, tears streaming down her pale face she slowly stumbled to her feet. Yet before she could fully stand a loud rip radiated through the air as a tear seemed to form right before her. She stumbled back in fear staring at it, it was like a window and through the window she could see a quiet, happy forest yet she did not understand until a voice radiated around her as if it came from everywhere at once but nowhere.

“Go young Princess, run, Jades is at War, our Queen has left in hopes of the survival of our race. This rip will take you to The Nexus, it is a door to all Worlds which other Jaden’s found long ago, you’ll be safe there and when the time comes I’ll bring you home.”

” Who are you? Why do you help me?” Nicora asked “Where are my parents?”

“There is no time Princess Nicora, the Stones are coming and will stop at nothing to wipe us out. All will be revealed to you in time, just know you are not alone others have gone to The Nexus before you, RUN.”

Nicora had no time to think as the sky filled with the darkness of the coming stones, quickly she ran and through the portal she went stumbling to the earthen floor of the Forest she looked over her shoulder, a dark figure stood there, glaring at her from the other side as the rip began to close. He screamed in defeat, frustration as a black bolt of energy ripped through the portal hitting the young child square in the chest and the young Princess new no more.